Ask HN: I'm a software engineer going blind, how should I prepare?

Article summary

A 24-year-old software engineer with Usher's Syndrome, a condition that causes progressive vision loss, is seeking advice on how to prepare for a future with limited vision. The engineer is looking for information on tools and strategies for building software with limited vision, as well as examples of successful blind software engineers. The condition also causes hearing loss and balance issues. The engineer is trying to get ahead of the condition and prepare for a potential career change.

Main themes

• Accessibility in software development
• Tools for limited vision
• Career advice for blind engineers
• Screen readers and speech synthesis
• Braille and tactile feedback
• Operating system and software choices

What commenters say

• Using a text editor like Emacs or Vim and migrating to backend development can be a good strategy for a software engineer with limited vision.
• Tiling window managers and screen readers can be helpful tools for software engineers with limited vision.
• Some programming languages, such as Python, may be more difficult to use with a screen reader due to their syntax and punctuation.
• GUI screen readers can be more effective than terminal-based screen readers for certain tasks, such as browsing the web.
• Combining speech synthesis with a braille reader can be an effective way to interact with code and other text-based information.
• Switching to a different operating system, such as Windows, may provide better screen reader support and accessibility features.
• Specialized browsers and tools, such as a semantic web browser, may be necessary to filter out inaccessible content and improve the overall user experience.